The present disclosure relates generally to a sample dispenser and method which allows a consumer to test products, especially flowable foods and personal care liquid products, prior to purchase in a retail establishment.
Retail stores such as department stores, drug stores, and specialty cosmetic stores often have counters displaying open packages that allow consumers to sample products prior to purchase. Some of these products are delivered in wide mouth jars. Others are packaged in less product exposed containers. Usually there is very little supervision in the sampling. Chances are high for microbial contamination. Still another issue is the scarcity of shelf space. Retailers prefer to use shelf space for purchasable product rather than for bulky non-revenue generating sample dispensers.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0294479 (Sottosanti et al.) discloses an on-shelf sample dispenser with a combined merchandising unit product display. There are some drawbacks with this technology. For example, it can be difficult to setup and refill the on-shelf sample dispenser since the refills need to be custom manufactured. Low unit volumes and specialty sourcing mean extra costs.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,474,654 (Snow et. al) discloses an in-store sample dispenser that uses retail bottles of the sampled product. However, it can be difficult to setup and refill the in-store sample dispenser since priming the sample dispenser requires a syringe to draw the product through a length of tubing. Additionally, a sharp hollow tube is required to puncture or pierce a hole in the retail bottle of the product.
Accordingly, there is a need for sample dispensers for a retail environment that can readily be primed and refilled. Moreover, there also is a need for a more efficient, less wasteful and quicker mechanism in replacing one product variant for another within the same sample dispensing system.